Tag: SSAT

NEW PUBLICATION: Beyond Manifestos 

I am delighted to share a publication I have recently contributed to. With a general election on the horizon, SSAT (The Schools, Students and Teachers Network) asked leaders in the education sector the question ‘What does education need next?’ You can view the pamphlet here: https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/beyondmanifestos/

Beyond Manifestos shares the views of numerous school leaders, leading academics and other highly experienced educationalists.

If you would like to join the conversation, share your thoughts on the question ‘What does education need next?’ by emailing us at hello@ssatuk.co.uk or join the conversation online – #BeyondManifestos.

Download now
Beyond Manifestos
https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/beyondmanifestos/

SSAT’s Childrens Charter webinar series

Children’s childhoods have been reconfigured by the pandemic.

To explore this more fully SSAT are launching a free webinar series. Details are on this weblink: https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/childrens-charter/what-our-learners-need-now/

SSAT’s Children’s Charter webinar series: What our learners need now

The webinars build on their recently published Children’s Charter.

The attached blog was published recently to further promote and stimulate discussion around the issues and challenges currently facing Teachers, And the Children they teach.

“Relationships and Rebuilding; Schools as Congregations of Compassion”

ssat-piece-june-2023Download

SSAT Children’s Charter: A Pledge for Children

“On Wednesday 26th April 2023 school leaders across all phases and settings, along with partners and organisations joined the online launch of the SSAT Children’s Charter: A Pledge for Children.

SSAT Chief Executive, Sue Williamson, welcomed Professor Barry Carpenter, and Matthew Carpenter, Principal of Baxter College who, together, shared the rationale and context behind the creation of the charter and what our children and young people need now: our response to a reshaped, redefined 21st century childhood.

SSAT, with Professor Barry Carpenter and Matthew Carpenter, led a seminar in December 2022 ‘Thinking about Children’; where leaders from secondary, primary, special schools and universities, together with partner organisations met to consider the daily lived reality of children and young people now, post pandemic, in order to shape the detail within the Children’s Charter.  We are delighted to be able to share our charter and those six principles with you now.

Individually, we all bring our unique experiences and expertise but together we are stronger.”

A call to action

  1. Join us in making your pledge to all children and young people:

By making your pledge to our Children’s Charter, you are recognising the needs of children and young people now, and making your commitment to the 6 principles that underpin the charter.  

Sign up here

  1. Spread the word:

Share the document Children’s Charter: A Pledge for Children widely with your colleagues and networks and invite them to join us with these calls to action. 

Join us in spreading the word on social media using the hashtag #ChildrensCharter.  Don’t forget to tag us @ssat

Download a copy here

  1. Share your voice to bring the Charter to life:

We invite you to share how your school or organisation is seeking to make a difference to children and young people and the impact that your work is having. 

We will bring your voices together to share best practice, recommendations and actions to policymakers. 

Get in touch

  1. Keep up to date:

Look out for further opportunities to be involved and upcoming events we will share through email or on our website.  Be part of the response and help build momentum – together we are stronger.

Children’s Charter webpage

Employability and Students with SEND

This is a topic with few publications to support thinking and practice on what must be a priority for students with Special Needs and Disabilities in their final years of School.
In this excellent new publication from SSAT, Pauline Holbrook, pull together some rich case studies , insights from employers, and routes to accreditation . In particular her commentary on the Gatsby Benchmarks is helpful for showing how students with Special Needs can gain a meaningful careers education .
This publication is available as a free download; (for hard copies contact SSAT)

Preterm children need special attention in school

On average a primary school class will have four children born preterm, and many of them will have reduced cognitive capacity, social and behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. Up to 70% of very preterm babies will require special educational needs services. But according to the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education, reported in an article in the latest issue of Children & Young People Now, few teachers are aware of this.

Barry Carpenter, visiting professor at the University of Worcester, is studying the educational outcomes and needs of preterm children in special schools, in partnership with SSAT and premature babies charity Bliss. He says addressing the educational needs of preterm children has become more urgent as advances in medical science have boosted survival rates – from 23% in 2000 to 63% today.

Vision is one sensory area that tends to get damaged. So teachers need to be aware that these children’s visual processing – the ability to read and decode – can be delayed, as can their language development.

SSAT will share the findings from Barry Carpenter’s studies in special schools for the benefit of mainstream schools, for example with a families workshop to share the strategies schools can use to meet this group’s needs. Stay informed by signing up to SSAT’s SEN e-forum.